The Best Revenge
by TeraWatt
Summary: Not your usual twin-who-lived story - mostly because this story has a distinct lack of dark lord in it. Harry feels that no-one cares for him and decides that the best revenge . . . Rated T for rampant paranoia.
1. Chapter 01

**The Best Revenge**

 **By TeraWatt**

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I make no money from these FanFiction stories. JK Rowling's beach, my sandcastle.

HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR

 **Chapter 01**

Perhaps you have heard this story before.

Perhaps you think you know exactly how this story will unfold.

Perhaps you are wrong.

Tom Marvolo Riddle was dead. Let us get that clear to start with. He will not pop up like a homicidal, megalomaniacle jack-in-the-box partway through the story. The so-called Dark Lord was born, he lived, he murdered and he was put down like the rabid dog (or snake if you prefer) that he was.

Peter Pettigrew will not be escaping from Azkaban to resurrect anybody, because he is not in Azkaban. Nor will he be found hiding as a rat in The Burrow. He will not be exposed as an animagus because the simple fact is that he will not be in this story either. As many people sadly do, when he and his friends finished their education, he moved away. The Marauders kept in touch at first but, as happens all too often in real life, people grow apart. Certainly all the involved parties look back on their time together with fondness, but life goes on.

Nor will a Diary find its way into the hands of an innocent first year, to later wreak havok and injury on a populace of also innocent school-children. Mad-Eye Moody will stay in retirement, and while he may still curse and ask questions later, he will come to enjoy his time away from criminal investigations, incompetent backstabbing politicians and, godforbid, _paperwork_.

And despite all these things, this story is about a boy. A boy who thinks no-one cares about him. A boy who was born as the seventh month dies.


	2. Chapter 02

**The Best Revenge**

 **By TeraWatt**

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I make no money from these FanFiction stories. JK Rowling's beach, my sandcastle.

HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR

 **Chapter 02**

Harry James Potter was born on the 31st of July, 1980 to James Charlus Potter and Lily Marie Potter (nee Evans). His parents had not been expecting him but they loved him all the same. James' parents had lived only for three years after Harry was born but had doted on him and his brother quite happily in their declining health.

Did I mention that Harry had a brother? No? That was remiss of me. Harry had an older brother by the name of Charlus. As you may have already guessed, he was named for his paternal grandfather. He was also, as some of the more astute of you may have also guessed, Harry's twin. However, they suprisingly did not share a birthday. Charlus was born on the 30th of July at around 11:55 PM and Harry was born a couple of minutes after midnight, hence being a suprise, though a welcome one.

Harry was a quiet child growing up. His brother Charlus, on the other hand, was hardly ever so reserved. Charlie was a demanding child who often got himself into trouble for ignoring his parents, breaking rules and generally misbehaving. That didn't necessarily make him a bad egg but he certainly demanded more of his parent's attention than quiet Harry who was often minding his own buisness, playing on his own and generally keeping himself to himself.

Time wore on as it always will and the boys grew older. Charlie had gotten it into his head that Harry was their parent's favorite child, mostly because Charlie was always getting himself into trouble and earning their parent's annoyance and frustration. He took it upon himself to try and steal all of his parent's time so they wouldn't pay any attention to Harry.

Harry, on the other hand didn't realise immediately what his brother was trying to do. He was a quiet soul, often found with a book in his hands in some quiet out of the way part of the house. Not to say that Harry was a perfect angel, he certainly got into trouble more than once as children will do, but he was the less outgoing of the pair and without meaning to, he took up less of his parent's attention than Charlie.


	3. Chapter 03

**The Best Revenge**

 **By TeraWatt**

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I make no money from these FanFiction stories. JK Rowling's beach, my sandcastle.

HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR - HPTBR

 **Chapter 03**

It took a while but Harry eventually came to think of himself as an outsider in the family. This was not because of anyone in particular, his parents didn't neglect or, godforbid, abuse him in any way, just most of his interactions with his parents felt like he was in the way or that other things were more important than him.

This, of course, was far from the truth and was never James or Lily's intention. Life just gets in the way and things that should be given more attention are pushed to the wayside or put off in favour of something more urgent.

Both James and Lily worked. James was the Head of House Potter and held a seat in the Wizengamot. He was also managing the various properties and buisnesses he inherited from his father. He could often be seen at the miniistry or at Gringotts Bank. Lily was apprenticed to Professor Flitwick in the field of Charms and she worked parttime at St Mungo's Hospital. Both had fairly stressful lives but they managed. Still, there was always something that needed doing and when they finally had a moment to themselves, Charlie could always be counted on to demand more of their time.

Still, one has ro remember that Harry is just a boy of eight years. No child that age is going to take all the factors into consideration and realise that it isn't intentional. And so he withdrew even more and when he saw that the situation had gotten even worse, he took it as a sign that he was right - that his parents didn't love him.

In the end, it was not anyone's fault per se, just a sorry situation made worse by miscommunication and unfortunate circumstance.


End file.
